Personal Reflection

Lesson Plan for TPACK integration

Application
Describe an instructional activity (e.g. part of a lesson plan) where you can incorporate this technology. Consider an activity that can be conducted in 10-15 minutes.

First, provide some details regarding:

• Learners: Who are your learners? What learner/age group should this activity be designed for?
• Learning outcomes: What will learners gain through this activity? Be specific regarding the focus of content. You should be able state something like: “At the end of this activity, students will be able to…”
• Assessment: How would you know that students acquire the learning outcomes? How would you know that your activity is effective?

Second, break down your activity into a timeline of planned events and procedures. Here you should describe what students and the teacher will be doing chronologically during the activity. Below is one of the good examples from previous reflections:

• The lesson would begin with introducing the students to the webquest on their already created Edmodos. This would only take a minute or two because at this point the students will already be acquainted with the concept of Edmodo and webquests.
• The students would then spend the next 10 minutes exploring ways to solve algebraic equations that they had already been working with in class.
• Following this exploration the students would be given 5 minutes to complete the individual assessment.
• Then, while waiting on the other students to finish, the students that had already completed all of the assignment would then post on the class Edmodo site what new techniques they have learned about navigating the Internet and solving algebraic equations in order to help other students in the class.

Reflection
Considering your learning activity described above, write two paragraphs or three for each section below addressing the questions. It may be helpful to keep in mind the followings when reflecting:

1. How well the use of this technology may support your teaching strategies in this activity.
1. For the teaching of the body squat I used several visual and interactive methods. The technology used helped me do this by giving the students the opportunity to interpret the information themselves. The students were given the opportunity to answer questions before given the information and allowed to discuss the correct answer. The technology could have been used better and more focused on to further teach the students. However, there were a few different types used. The smart board was one use for this as I used its abilities to allow students to draw the posture of the spine. This gave them the opportunity to visualize what is being learned, especially after seeing the correct sketch. Youtube was used to display a video to the students of exactly what they were to understand and eventually perform. After breaking down the video into a short explanation of scenes within it the students could then be assessed. Overall, I believe I did a poor job at taking advantage of all the technology available to me. 
2. How effectively the use of this technology may enhance students' understanding of and learning from your particular content in this activity.
1. What technology I did use I believe ended up successful for the amount of time used. I think that after being able to see the correct posture of the spine it helped, at least some, students understand what they were trying to maintain while squatting. The video was probably the most helpful because I was able to reach my audience with the content and apply it to the knowledge they were to absorb. Because the technology was not used at its full potential I think that it did not do as well of a job teaching the students the squat as the participation did. 

--Pedagogical-Content:

Your pedagogical content knowledge refers to your understanding of teaching strategies that are specific to a content area. That is the knowledge about choosing appropriate pedagogies for teaching a particular content Example: Using drill-and-practice to teach math problem solving. This strategy however may not necessarily be effective for other content areas.

Now, forget about the technology for a while…..Just tells us about your teaching strategies that you employ in your activity (e.g., analogies, demonstrations, illustrations, examples, explanations, group work, drill-practice, simulations, role-play, lecturing, self-guided learning, inquiry-based learning, problem based learning or etc). Specifically:

• What are your strategies and why do you think your strategies are appropriate to teaching this specific content?  What makes you believe it would help your students comprehend this particular content? Give specific examples from your described activity.
• My  main strategy for teaching this content are to apply to the average person's everyday life before continuing into the critical information. Afterwards I try to obtain as much prior knowledge from the class as possible in order to apply their vocabulary into the lecture and make it more understandable, which I think is significant when interpreting your audience. When I learn how to communicate with the class I then translate my knowledge of the content into a way they may better understand it. I do this by continuing to ask questions and inspire discussion. After all material is laid out for the students and it is discussed I get them physically involved to provide a personal perspective on the topic. At the same time I encourage constructional criticism to help students learn from the others. I think that these techniques give the students every opportunity to learn the subject matter in a very simple way. 
• What would be some conceptions and pre-conceptions that students of different ages and backgrounds bring with them when learning this particular content? What would you be concerned about students' prior knowledge, experiences, motivation? Again focus on the content and your teaching strategy, not the technology!
• For this particular content different backgrounds bring a variety of experiences, stories, terminology, and questions. In this case there would be very little concern for their previous knowledge in a negative manner. For example, in my session it was asked what was important of learning the squat. One stated it was to avoid hurting one's back. Another student stated it was to get a "nice butt".  Obviously there are different backgrounds but both statements allowed for discussion and information that were pertinent to the content. I was then able to discuss the importance of maintaining a neutral spine as well as the muscles involved which related to both students. 

--Technological-Pedagogical:

Your technological pedagogical knowledge refers to your understanding of technologies for particular learning tasks, your ability to choose technologies based on its fitness, your knowledge of pedagogical strategies, and your ability to apply those strategies for use of technologies Example: Selecting Edmodo/facebook for facilitating student generated debate. Edmodo here is the technology that supports the main pedagogy-group discussion/debate.

In the previous section, you talked about your instructional strategies. Keeping these strategies you stated in mind, now tell us how the technology is used in your activity.  Specifically:

• What main instructional strategies would this technology use serve in your activity? How would using the technology support the way you teach this activity? Please give examples and be specific to your described activity. Think about your main teaching strategies that this technology would support. 
• Relating to my invitation of all discussion, I was able to use the technology to get each students thoughts a a specific piece of information being taught (drawing on the smartboard). I teach the activity through discussion, visualization, and participation. Unfortunately, I was unable to use technology for the participation part. Still, I used a video to show the students what was being discussed and what was later to be performed. Many students began talking about how great of form there was in the video which tells me they learned from what I had discussed prior to the video and that my use of technology supported my teachings. 
• What different classroom management strategies you might need to consider when using this technology in the activity? Give examples and be specific to your described activity.
• Depending on the students in the class I may need to consider organizing the order in which people used the smartboard to avoid complications. I may also need to pair the students myself so that there is no problems between them. In some situations, including my most recent session, I would need to consider  those who may not be comfortable in front of others or sharing an incorrect answer. These problems are easily bypassed with a a large class though. It is possible that I would also need to adjust student positioning as well as the lighting of the room. 

--Technological Pedagogical Content:

Your technological pedagogical content knowledge refers to your understanding of how teaching and learning from content may change when technology used and is our knowledge about selecting technologies that suits, support, and enhances teaching strategies and learning activities in your particular content area. It is your understanding of teaching strategies to effectively teach the particular content and help student conceptual difficulties in this content by meaningfully incorporating technologies. Example: Using a flash card app on iPad as a means to aid students memorize words and definitions in language learning. iPad app is here chosen as a tool to support the pedagogy around instant feedback, quick repetition, and individualized learning. These are some of the strategies used in language learning content area.

Now, let’s focus on the content you’re teaching in your activity. Think about your decisions to incorporate this technology and the teaching strategies in relation to your particular content area. Tell us specifically about:

• How would using this technology enhance the way the content is represented in your activity (e.g. demonstrations, explanations, examples, illustrations, analogies, and etc.)? That is why you think the selection and the pedagogical use of this technology may enhance what you teach (the content in your activity). Give specific examples from your activity to support your answer and keep in mind the learning objectives that you stated previously. 
• In what different ways students practice or understand the content in your activity that would otherwise not be possible without the use of the technology? In addition to motivational benefits, what else can students do with this technology as they are learning the content?

My Lesson Plan:

 Learning the Body Squat

Subject	Coach	Students	Date
Fitness	Jared Loftis	Anyone interested   in joining fitness	January 11, 2017

Goals:

After participated in this lesson students should be able to execute, with proper form, a body squat. The content will include step by step instructions for each movement by breaking it down into several simple motions. Instruction will remind of appropriate body positioning and the reasons for the movement. Explanation as to why the movement is done in the explained process will be given. Students should comfortably be able to for multiple squats in succession after the class.

Organization:

         The class will begin with an introduction of the teacher/coach and the concept being explained in the lesson. The focus of the squat will be explained quickly (within the first three minutes). Following the introduction, a video displaying the proper form of a body squat will be displayed for both the students and teacher to view. The teacher will pause and point out key points related to the squat during the video. The video and explanation should take no longer than another three minutes. Students will then be told the importance of proper form and asked to draw the shape of the spine while standing and squatting on the smart board. After discussing the shape and reasons for keeping it the squat will be displayed by the coach and a volunteer and cues will be shared. The importance of balance and form will be reminded (All of this should take approximately 4-5 minutes). The final portion of the class will include the student taking part in the squat while being evaluated by the coach and an oral quiz will be given to the class as a whole.

Assessment:

         During the final portion of the class while the students are executing five body squats they will be observed on proper form and on maintaining balance. Simultaneously, they will be asked why such things are important during the squat and what purpose the squat can serve.